Become a Forester III

  • Entry Level
  • Supervisory
  • Full Time
  • Seasonal
  • Benefits Eligible

The Forester series describes professional work concerned with forest, range, and watershed management and protection, which is accomplished by: providing encouragement, advice, and assistance to landowners, individuals, organizations, and agencies; regulating use; demonstrating good wildland management; and seeking through research, assessment, risk analysis, and studies the necessary knowledge to utilize forest, range, and watershed lands while protecting all their benefits. Foresters are also required to participate in fire protection, fire prevention, and all-risk response.

Work assignments involve the planning, development, and administration of resource management programs; surveys, research, and demonstration projects in the fields of forest pest protection, reforestation, climate change, forest utilization, and forest nursery operations; mapping and inventory of wildland soils and vegetation; emergency revegetation and rehabilitation; range improvement; forest practice and fire prevention inspections and regulation; criminal and civil law enforcement; State forest management; studies in forest economics, engineering, genetics, and appraisal; watershed management; environmental protection; forest products utilization; forest and wildland improvement and restoration; environmental review; forest policy; urban forestry; vegetation management; pre-fire engineering; all-risk response; and land-use planning. Individuals entering the series must successfully complete basic fire control training prior to the end of probation.

 

Forester III

Foresters III perform the most difficult, sensitive, and complex forest, range, watershed management, protection, and planning duties such as responding to inquiries from legislators, advocate/civic groups, and citizens; administering a region or statewide resource management program; and supervising the review and processing of timber harvesting plans. Foresters III may have in-charge responsibility for the largest State Forest and in units with large resource management programs. Foresters III are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the forest, range, and watershed management activities in an administrative area. Foresters III may supervise a staff of Foresters.



This classification is eligible for the following pay:

$8,396 - $10,896 Base Salary (paid every month) 

$1,259 - $1,634 Extended Duty Pay (15% of base pay paid every month)

$1,851 Recruitment and Retention Differential (paid every month)

$138,072 – $172,572 Annual Compensation

In addition to the above pay items, employees are eligible for medical benefits (health, dental, vision) and may be eligible for other pay differentials.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Minimum Qualifications

Breadth of experience through a variety of job assignments is a factor in planned manager development in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Although Foresters develop highly specialized assignments at higher levels, rotation in assignment is anticipated at all levels within the series.

License Requirement
Possession of a valid license as a Registered Professional Forester issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection; (and)

Experience
One year of experience in the California state service performing forest, range, or watershed management duties in a class comparable in level to a Forester II (Supervisory).

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of: 
Natural sciences (biology, botany, geology, hydrology, ecology, soil science, and climatology, including climate change principles); forest, range, wildlife, and fisheries management principles and practices; California vegetative types, soil, climatic conditions, and plant ecology and the tools, methods, and practices related to vegetation management, including fuels management; tools, methods, and practices related to forest and range inventory, mensuration, appraisal, and harvesting; tree nursery production, distribution, reforestation, and forest pest control; identification and protection of archaeological sites and other cultural resources; tools, methods, practices, programs, organization, and standards related to fire prevention, wildland fire protection, fire behavior, and all-risk incident management, strategy, and tactics; watershed management and erosion control methods; State, local, and Federal environmental, forest, and fire laws and regulations applicable in California; criminal, civil, and administrative law and law enforcement and investigation techniques; tools, methods, and practices related to forest engineering, land surveying, mapping, photogrammetry, and use and applications of remote sensing imagery; evaluation techniques and migration methods for land management and incident related activities and effects; the Department's mission, vision, and values; the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection's and the Department's policies; other agencies' roles, objectives, and jurisdictional authorities; and forest economics, forest product valuation, and forest product utilization.

Also includes Program administration; forest policy development and application; principles of effective supervision; and a supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a safe work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Broader level of scope that includes multiple programs, agencies, and levels of government; policies, objectives, and standards established by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection; conservation programs and forest and wildland management as practiced in California; research and statistical methodology; special project management; principles of personnel management; training; and budgeting.

Ability to: 
Interpret and apply technical standards and make decisions based on available data; conduct inspections and investigations and prepare clear, concise, and technically sound reports; research literature and other information sources to support program needs; communicate effectively in both oral presentations and written correspondence; identify and protect sensitive resources; work effectively and harmoniously with a wide range of individuals and groups (e.g., co-workers, landowners, the public, other fire protection agencies, governmental agencies, and the business community); demonstrate leadership and take increasing levels of responsibility with minimal supervision; plan, organize, and manage work programs or special projects; promote equal opportunity in hiring, employee development, and advancement; maintain a safe and respectful work environment free of discrimination and harassment; and effectively manage personnel, training, and budgeting within and across multiple programs, agencies, and levels of government.

Accept increasing responsibility and accomplish objectives without close guidance and review; effectively plan and organize work programs; effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and maintain a safe work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment; and demonstrate leadership.

Manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously and meet deadlines; demonstrate leadership; analyze problems and design systems for project organization and problem solving; do technical and policy writing and editing for publication; effectively communicate with various levels of government, the media, and the private sector; and effectively plan and organize work programs.

Additional Desirable Qualifications
Possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Special Personal Characteristics
Willingness to work long and irregular hours under stressful conditions, in remote parts of the State, and during the fire season; remain available for duty assignments 24 hours a day as required; ability to meet physical and medical standards established by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; color vision and visual acuity sufficient to perform the duties of the position; ability to perform and exercise good judgment under emergency or other stressful situations; and ability to operate specialized equipment (e.g., personal computers, audio-visual equipment, fire apparatus, vehicles, and cameras).

Felony Disqualification
Existing law provides that persons convicted of a felony are disqualified from employment as peace officers. Such persons are not eligible to compete for, or be appointed to, positions in this class. This felony disqualification applies only to those positions designated as peace officers within this class.

No examinations at this time.

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